The Influence of Positive Mood on Brand Extension Evaluations

The current research examines how positive mood influences consumer evaluations of brand extensions. As a means of addressing this issue, we integrate findings from prior research on brand extensions with those concerning the effect of mood on similarity and evaluative judgments. Our results indicate that positive mood primarily enhances evaluations of extensions viewed as moderately similar (as opposed to very similar or dissimilar) to a favorably evaluated core brand. This pattern of effects prevailed in separate studies using two different types of mood manipulations. The evidence supports a mood process in which the influence of positive mood on extension evaluations is mediated by its effects on perceptions of the similarity between the core brand and the extension as well as the perceived competency of the marketer in producing the extension. Implications of these findings for marketing managers are presented along with suggestions for further research. Copyright 2000 by the University of Chicago.